While I agree character driven plots were interesting but now the characters have been well past fully developed and now to keep fresh it stays forever relevent to the times. That is why South Park can never grow old. I will admit this past season has been kinda lackluster. However I loved the Sarcastaballs and Blockbuster episodes.

I think the new intro was due to the fact that Matt and Tre only just figured out how South Park would actually be mapped out for The Stick of Truth (which now has a release date in December) and wanted to show it off in 3d.